Preventive Measures Including Disinfection, Disinsection And Deratization As A Supportive Element Of The Surveillance Of Healthcare-Associated Infections

Introduction: Sanitary and hygienic care and disinfection are actions that support the epidemiologic surveillance, exercised by infection control sections in healthcare facilities. These include also prevention of rodent and insect infestations (as reservoirs and vectors of infectious and parasitic diseases).Aim: The aim of this article is to investigate the buildings of St. Marina University Hospital of Varna and share our experience in terms of organization, management and control of the disinfection, disinsection and deratization (DDD) activities, accomplished in the period 2011 – 2015.Materials and Methods: We have used factsheets, reports, analyses of the Regional Health Inspectorate of Varna and of St.Marina University Hospital of Varna; epidemiological studies, healthcare educational materials regarding DDD. The methods we used were descriptive, statistical, and inquiries.Results: In hospital settings DDD activities are regularly performed and checked periodically according to a schedule by an internal control section. Microbiological sample collection is directed to the main factor responsible for pathogen exchange between patients and medical staff – hands and hospital environment. In 2014, 887 double microbiological samples from hands and environment were taken, 103 of them were positive. The ready-to-use disinfection solutions were always investigated in parallel as well. Fifty-eight of them were microbiologically investigated with 6 positive results. In the same year, 350 disinsections were performed – focal and barrier. Three general disinsections of the building by stage took place, as well as 3 general barrier processings of the yard area against ticks and fleas. Two hundred and fifteen deratizations were performed, 3 of them complex covering the canals.Conclusion: 1. The necessity of development of a hospital program regarding organization of the DDD activities as an element of the surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) was practically proven. 2. Indispensable efficacy of the DDD of the building and adjacent open areas was achieved resulting in a decrease of rodent and arthropod numbers to a biologically safe minimum. 3. Efficient coordination was found between the different control sections. An emphasis is put upon prophylaxis that is much more effective and cheap